A Rockledge man has pleaded not guilty to a string of stalking allegations that make up a frightening tale.

Advertisement

Terrence Thomas, 50, broke up with his girlfriend of over ten years on Oct. 7, according to police. She began getting messages soon after, police said, including a knife, carefully laid out on a white towel in the trunk of her car.

Early Wednesday morning, the torment continued, police said. Thomas broke into a shed; he punctured one of the woman’s tires, and peered into the home.

He was caught armed with a wire that had rubber handles – to be used for killing, police said.

The alleged victim later told police “I believe if he entered the property, he would have killed my entire family.”

But a little luck and some good police work saved her. She had already gone to police, and had also obtained an injunction.

Which is why a Rockledge police officer was sitting in a patrol car keeping watch on her home. When she called police, the officer activated the flashing red and blue lights on the car.

Thomas ran off, but police caught him 20 minutes later.

Beatty said Thursday that he would try to keep Thomas in jail while he awaits trial.

“This is the sort of case where we request no bond. It wouldn’t matter what his criminal history was at all on these facts,” he said.

The judge granted that request.

WEBVTT
DAN BILLOW REPORTS,
POLICE WERE ON HAND TO PROTECT
THE VICTIM IN THE NICK OF TIME
50-YEAR-OLD TERRENCE THOMAS
BROKE UP WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND O
OVER 10 YEARS ON OCTOBER 7.
POLICE SAY SHE BEGAN GETTING
MESSAGES SOON AFTER, MESSAGES
SUCH AS THIS ONE, A KNIFE,
CAREFULLY LAID OUT ON A WHITE
TOWEL IN THE TRUNK OF HER CAR.
>> THE CIRCUMSTANCES HERE AE
CERTAINLY FRIGHTENING.
CERTAINLY VERY FRIGHTENING FOR
THE VICTIM.
DA EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING,
POLICE SAY THE TORMENT
CONTINUED.
POLICE SAY THOMAS BROKE INTO A
BACK SHED, PUNCTURED ONE OF THE
WOMAN'S TIRES, AND PEERED INTO
THE HOME.
POLICE SAY HE WAS ARMED WITH A
WIRE THAT HAD RUBBER HANDLES TO
BE USED, THEY SAY, FOR KILLING.
SHE LATER TOLD POLICE, I BELIEVE
IF HE ENTERED THE PROPERTY, HE
WOULD HAVE KILLED MY ENTIRE
FAMILY.
BUT A LITTLE LUCK AND SOME GOOD
POLICE WORK SAVED HER.
SHE HAD PREVIOUSLY GONE TO
POLICE, AND HAD ALSO OBTAINED AN
INJUNCTION.
WHAT THOMAS LIKELY DID NOT KNOW
IS THAT THERE IS ALREADY AN
OFFICER SITTING IN A CAR NEAR
THE HOUSE, WATCHING IT.
AND WHEN THE VICTIM CALLED
POLICE, THE OFFICER LIT UP THE
LIGHTS ON THE POLICE CAR.
POLICE SAY THOMAS RAN OFF.
THEY CAUGHT HIM 20 MINUTES
LATER.
A PROSECUTOR SAID TODAY HE'LL
TRY TO KEEP THOMAS IN JAIL WHILE
HE AWAITS TRIAL.
>> THIS IS THE SORT OF CASE
WHERE WE REQUEST NO BOND.
IT WOULDN'T MATTER WHAT HI
CRIMINAL RECORD WAS AT ALL ON
THESE FACTS.
DAN: THE JUDGE GRANTED THAT
REQUEST. IN ROCKLEDGE, D